Quicksilver isn’t known for their technical wear outside of the water, but the Opus is one bitchin’ jacket with a couple nerdtastic components. It’s made from Schoeller fabric and Quiksilver’s own Quik Repel material; it’s water-resistant and shields the body from low temps and wind. I did a little bit of research into Schoeller and they seem to be pretty big in the performance/technical fabric world. It’s been chilly in NYC this last week, so it was a perfect time to test out the Opus.
I wouldn’t suggest wearing this out in sub-30 degree weather but I only wear t-shirts, so it might suffice with a couple layers. It did keep me warm in temps hovering in the 30s and low 40s with a bit of wind. It streches dependingin your body position and repels water really well. I wasn’t walking about in a torrential downpour, but a steady sprinkle didn’t seep to my core. The water beads up and rolls off. There are two zippers so you can access pant pockets and avoid that embarrassing coat boner when you sit down. You know what I’m talking about.
The interior is soft and fleece-like. The exterior has a tendency to make swishy noise when your arms brush against your body when you walk, but the street traffic or music blasting through my in-ears drowns all of that out.
The nerdtastic features I mentioned earlier exist in the deep, deep pockets that can hold a loaf of bread, a 40 ounce Olde English and pack of condoms and maybe a sandwich. There’s a lot of room in them pockets and there’s no fear of your phone or keys falling out after having a seat. There’s an internal pocket meant for your MP3 player or whatever you feel like putting in there, really. There’s a rubber grommet-like opening (is that what these are called?) for your headphone cable to slither through. The pocket didn’t sag too bad under the weight of my iPhone, so that’s a plus. No one wants a saggy pocket that makes the exterior look funky, right?
The Opus is a great jacket, but the $400 price tag is a huge hurdle to overcome. It looks great and performs well for an everyday, around the city jacket and I’d recommend it to anyone willing to spend $400.